Islam and Education

Conflict and Conformity in Pakistan's Madrassahs

Dr. Saleem H. Ali

An empirical study of madrassahs in Pakistan focusing on two case studies; Islamabad and southern Punjab. In addition, the book considers the questionable linkage between Islamic education and conflict from a theological as well as historical perspective. The author concludes with a clear set of policy recommendations for Muslim and non-Muslim constituents to reduce conflict escalation.

Islam and Education

Conflict and Conformity in Pakistan's Madrassahs

Dr. Saleem H. Ali

Description

Islamic educational institutions have come under intense public scrutiny in recent years because of their perceived linkage to militancy. However, much of the research thus far has relied upon anecdotal accounts and investigative journalism. In particular, Pakistani madrassahs (or seminaries), have been the focus of much media coverage. Islam and Education aims to provide an empirically-grounded analysis of madrassahs in Pakistan, thereby informing the larger discussion of the role of Islamic education in conflict causality.

Unlike earlier works that have focused primarily on the curriculum of madrassahs, this book provides a comprehensive examination of Islamic education as an integrated social movement. The ultimate aim of Islam and Education is to prevent the escalation of existing regional conflict as well as the perceived conflict between Islam and the West, while providing guidance to policymakers regarding their attempt to reform educational institutions.

Islam and Education

Conflict and Conformity in Pakistan's Madrassahs

Dr. Saleem H. Ali

Table of Contents

Preface1. The Dynamics of Education and Conflict2. The Madrassah Phenomenon: Origin and Context3. Empirical Case Analyses: Ahmedpur East and Islamabad Capital Territory4. Madrassahs and Violence: Is There a Connection?5. Funding of Islamic Education6. Madrassahs and Modernity: The Role of Government and Other Stakeholders in Conflict Prevention7. Education, Development and Conflict Prevention: The Role of Foreign Powers8. Ways to Reconcile Traditional Education with ModernityEpilogue: Beyond the Red MosqueAppendix 1: Data from 1994 StudyAppendix 2: Dars-e-Nizami Curriculum of MadrassahsAppendix 3: Administrative Units in Punjab and Rationale for DelineationAppendix 4: Madrassah Reform Strategy and Budget from the Government of PakistanAppendix 5: List of Qualitative Interviews Conducted (in order of conversation) where interviewee agree to name being released

Islam and Education

Conflict and Conformity in Pakistan's Madrassahs

Dr. Saleem H. Ali

Author Information

Dr. Saleem H. Ali is Associate Professor of Environmental Planning and Asian Studies at the University of Vermont, where he has also served as an Associate Dean for Graduate Education. He is on the Adjunct Faculty of the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University, and is a Senior Fellow at the United Nations mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica.

Apart from his numerous publications in environmental planning he has published widely on topics of international conflict and educational reform, including an environmental education curriculum for madrassahs under the guidance of scholars at Indonesian Islamic schools. In addition to his academic writings, Dr. Ali is also a regular columnist for Pakistan's Daily Times and has editorials published in The International Herald Tribune and The Boston Globe.

Islam and Education

Conflict and Conformity in Pakistan's Madrassahs

Dr. Saleem H. Ali

Reviews and Awards

Honorary Mention for Asia Society's 2010 Bernard Schwartz Book Award

"In this very well researched study, Saleem Ali provides valuable insights about the role of religious seminaries in Pakistan in both the political and historical contexts. The empirical evidence...presents a nuanced understanding of how religious education impacts regional conflicts."--Dr. Hassan Abbas, Research Scholar, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and author of Pakistan's Drift into Extremism

"Dr. Saleem H. Ali's study...is richly grounded in empirical data and field work, exceptionally fresh in its insightful interpretations, and brilliantly informed...Dr. Ali has produced a first rate scholarly work that will be welcomed by both academics and policymakers interested in the current debated on madrassahs and their alleged role in radicalism, militancy and violence."--Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed, Professor of Political Science, Hampton University, and Director of Iqbal International Institute